November 13: LOVE THAT RUNS

But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Luke 15:20

The story of the “prodigal son” who decided to return to his father in repentance is particularly meaningful in light of the cultural precedent that precluded the offended father from showing any emotion over the return of his wayward child. This story illustrates the utter joy of our heavenly Father who sees a returning child when he [is] still a great way off and runs to meet him! Anyone who has wandered away from the Lord is still the object of His great love and incomprehensible mercy.

King Saul’s lengthy history of willfully disregarding the will of God could have had a totally different outcome had he chosen to return to Him. Instead, he continued in his blasphemy of the Holy Spirit’s directing. Years after the death of Samuel, Saul came to a crossroads, a desperate situation. The Philistines, in their usual manner, had gathered troops against Israel. Saul was terrified and inquired of the LORD (1 Samuel 28:6) but received no answer. This inquiry had nothing to do with repentance, only self-interest. What he chose to do next made an emphatic display of his lost condition: Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.” (v.7) Such actions as Saul’s never fail to embolden weak or undecided onlookers to move in the wrong direction. Saul showed blatant disregard for God’s explicit instruction:

Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. The person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person. A man or woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death. Leviticus 19:31, 20:6, 27

That old serpent’s lie, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4) has mushroomed like an atomic bomb into a host of false doctrines in the world; he has people in every religion, including Christianity, believing that dead people are alive and that we can talk to them. Saul disregarded God’s word in favor of believing that he could get beneficial advice from the dead prophet Samuel. This wayward choice opened Saul’s mind to the deception of demonic activity. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down (v.14). What a tragedy: The king of Israel bowing in a position of worship before a demon impersonating Samuel!

A failure to regard being dead as not being alive renders us prey to deceptions. Above all, we must remember that the Giver of life is the only One who has power over death. His desire is that everyone will be prepared for the glorious, climactic day of His return.

We wait for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13 (CEB)

“I was dead, but look! Now I am alive forever and always. I have the keys of Death and the Grave.” Revelation 1:18 (CEB)